Gathered around the table to remanence over family stories. A comedy of errors staring our family vacation trips that usually had something go wrong such as malfunctions of cars, locked keys in car, rain inside the tent, getting in the way of an oar, you name it and it probably happened. At the time, the incident was not so funny but now in the retelling we laugh about it. These and many more shared experiences with my family growing up is what bonded us together.
Having shared experiences does not mean everyone in the family or group are impacted in the same way. But it does validate and affirm the reality of what is being witnessed. Shared experiences allow us to find common ground that binds us and connects us to those experiencing the same or a similar experience.
People who have lived overseas have shared experiences with others who have lived overseas in understanding some of the lived languaculture experiences. Re-entry can be hard and challenging because there are not many recently shared experiences between the global workers returning and those from their passport culture. Even with all the technology to stay informed and connected while living miles and miles apart there is still a disconnect, still no real shared experiences that come in to play that help the global workers to feel understood about their experiences and for them to understand experiences of those who live in their passport country. Visiting a place even if it is a known place is different than living in a place.
Careers and jobs can be a hard transition because co-workers already have shared experiences in working together. Their colleagues can navigate the workplace culture because of the shared experience whether that is in-person, remote, or a hybrid. The need to adapt to changes in industry practices and technologies that have changed since the global worker left their passport country may seem trivial and yet it is one more thing they are out of sync. The global worker may have had to adjust when working overseas to become more relational-oriented and less task-oriented or less direct and more indirect in how they approached communication and getting work accomplished. And now the global worker may have to recalibrate once again which could be hard.
Schools and churches are other areas that can be hard transitions. Classmates and congregants have been living shared experiences in the timeframe the global worker has been living overseas. Trying to reintegrate into these subcultures does take time and patience to do life together, thus creating shared experiences that will bring connection and bonding. In many cases, this can be years to develop for the global worker.
A supportive community of returnees can offer a platform for sharing stories, challenges, and insights, fostering a sense of camaraderie and mutual understanding while navigating re-entry. Come join 'Are We There Yet? Navigating Re-Entry' Facebook group.
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